The Girl With the Golden Hair
by ColorKitsune
Summary: Zuko has returned to the Fire Nation under the false pretense that he has killed the Avatar. He still does not feel at home when in the Palace or around his sister. Until one day, a mysterious girl appears that captures his attention...
1. Chapter 1: Meeting

Kuzai stared up at the city. It's foreign architecture fascinated her beyond belief. The sweeping, tiled roofs that glistened from the morning rain. Golden beams supporting towers of grandeur. It seemed so much fresher now that she was free. A lifetime of being locked away had raised her into what she was today. A spirit. Requiring individual training to unlock her "full potential" Though in reality she was too much of a pain in normal classes and misbehaved. Now at the age of fifteen, she was of athletic build. Years of fire bending had toned her body. The fire nation choose well. A selection of few of numerous children of the Fire Nation Youth Training Federation were decided that these small toddlers had the "potential." Kuzai scoffed to herself. She didn't think she deserved to be in the selected group. Her fire bending had always been powerful, but not anything special. Teachers scolded her constantly for sometimes losing control of a flame or igniting one in a "safe area." but the heat was in her. The bed of her hand felt hot sometimes. It was the fire inside of her begging to get out, and Kuzai waited for no one. Though she soon raised to the top of her class, the FNYTF's General had decided that she would never go into battle.

"Her appearance is too striking; too recognizable. Anyone would remember her after first glance."

She frowned and pulled the hood on her jacket further forward. It was obsessive. After being trained as a negative, a part of society that is not meant to exist. Just a weapon. She forgot what it was like to be around these people. Seeing mothers and their children. It stung a harsh bitterness in her chest, and a small warmth too. Staring at the ground, Kuzai didn't even see the figure she walked into. It felt like a brick wall. She fell the ground and stared up at the person who knocked her off her feet.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" she spat up at him. This guy had to be sixteen, maybe seventeen with those muscles. His body was fit as well, long hours of training no doubt The scar caught her attention. It was a gruesome shade of red that showed signs of never healing. Kuzai's guess was that it was the product of a fire bending training accident, or a fire nation solider had attacked his village. His hair was as dark as every other resident of this cursed nation.

"Do you know who I am?" he spat right back at her. Kuzai's eyes narrowed. She now knew it was the first of her suspicions regarding his scars. He seemed like a general's son.

"No." she stood back up and brushed the gravel from her clothing. When the hood fell back, his eyes widened.

"Your hair..." he muttered.

It was the reason Kuzai would never fulfill the purpose she was meant for. She spent a lifetime just to be cast aside for one reason. Her hair. A bright golden that was unheard of in all four kingdoms. It defied all scientific reasoning and logic. She hated it. Once it had been decided that she would no longer be of use to them, she cut off the long tresses she had spent so long growing. Even though it now only brushed her jaw line, she still wished it would disappear completely.

Kuzai pulled up her hood quickly and looked down. The boy in front of her continued to attempt to look underneath.

"Stop staring. I'm not a circus freak." she growled at him.

"Don't presume things! I wasn't staring..." Kuzai glared up at the boy.

"You owe me an apology." she stated with hands placed on her hips.

"What?" he said incredulously "You bumped into me!"

"But you were staring at me. I could have you arrested for harassment!" His face grew red.

"What?! You make no sense!" he shouted. "Ugh! Girls!" Kuzai rolled her eyes.

"Guess a General's son doesn't get a lot of social experience, eh?" she scoffed and folded her arms. The boy in front of her's expression turned to one of confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it.

"You can make it up to me by buying me a hotel room, rich boy."

"I already said I don't owe you anything!" he shouted. Kuzai could practically see the flame dying to come out of his hands. "I don't even know you're name!"

"Kuzai." she stated "Now you can buy me a room." He shook his head.

"No. You don't understand. I. Don't. Know. You. And I still don't owe you anything!" She rolled her eyes.

"You're so touchy...What's your name anyway?" He thought for a moment.

"...Zuko." he said.

"You have a weird name." said Kuzai. He gritted his teeth and clenched his jaw. She giggled. This Zuko kid was too much fun to agitate. "Well, if you're not buying me a hotel room then I'll be taking my leave. See ya around, Zuko." she gave a mock salute and put up her hood. There was a strange pulling sensation in his chest. Zuko felt like he wasn't ready to leave this sunshine-colored girl yet. His eyes watched her back away, smirking before turning and disappearing into the city.


	2. Chapter 2: Morning Theft (RE-UPLOAD)

WOW I AM SOOOO SORRY. I GOT MY CHAPTERS MIXED UP!

She yawned and stretched. The morning sun illuminated Kuzai's hair to match the golden decor scattered throughout this city. She stared at the streets below. The view from this rooftop was phenomenal. Not having any money, she was forced to sleep up here. It was still better than the cots in the FNYTF dorms. Kuzai ran a hand through her hair and scanned the streets below. A vendor would be easy to steal from. There was a part of her that felt guilty for stealing what could have earned the food for his family's table. There was an even larger part that was hungry though.

Kuzai sighed and climbed down from the roof. Doing a quick check to make sure her hood was in place, she set off. The early morning meant no crowds. This could mean no one to spot her or less people to camouflage herself in. She had more difficulty 'blending in' than others for the obvious reasons. Trying to look as casual as possible, Kuzai strolled with eyes alert for any sign of hot food. The produce vendors were just beginning to set up shop. Their sun burnt and wrinkled faces gave each other friendly hellos. Kuzai wondered if that was what it was like to be in a community. She eyed each of the stands. Onions. No. Cabbages. No. Radish. No. Just when all hope seemed lost, a delicious scent wafted past her. Kuzai grinned and sped her pace. It was honey dumplings; a favorite of hers. Right before turning the corner, she stopped and thought of a plan. There was most likely a fire nation guard on patrol. She would have to be discreet, and fast. Once turning the corner, there was no going back. Her suspicions were correct and there was a fire nation guard on patrol.

Kuzai didn't look at the guard or the vendor but still felt their eyes on her. Briefly, she wondered if she should leave now. It was her stomach that convinced her to keep walking. Just as she reached the dumpling stand, without looking over or batting an eye, Kuzai's hand swiped out and grabbed three small dumplings.

"Hey! You with the hood!" the guard shouted. She gasped and broke into a run.

"Stop that thief! She stole my dumplings!" Kuzai sped her pace.

"Stop right now!" She ran faster. The guard seemed old. He would never be able to catch up with her young legs. Just as she seemed confident in avoiding him, Kuzai ran into a wall.

"Ow! Damnit!" she cursed and looked up. The same boy with the scar from yesterday gazed down at her. "Hey there scar-face." the girl smiled.

"Stop!" a guard yelled. She sprung up and turned around.

"Crap." she muttered under her breath "Hey, stop these guys from chasing me, kay?" Kuzai winked before running off again. Zuko stumbled for words and was left in complete shock until the guard came running forward. The older man gasped, his eyes widened as he fell to his shaking knees. He slapped his hands quickly to the ground in a low bow and unintentionally placed his head right in a muddy puddle. The dirty, street water splashed to the edge of Zuko's feet. He sighed and shook his head at the unnecessary display of loyalty to the fire nation and his father's power.

"F-Forgive me, c-crown prince!" he stammered pathetically "I-I was running a-after a thief!". Zuko saw the guard's shoulders trembling with fear. Didn't he realize that he was just a prince who barely held any power or a place in the palace?

"Get up." he commanded. The guard obliged and stood up, still staring at the puddle. "I order you to stop chasing that girl." Zuko rarely played the 'prince' card, but there were times when being the oldest son of the most power nation's ruler came in handy.

"B-But!" the guard's frightful eyes darted up to Zuko, but was only met with steely ones. "Y-Yes, crown prince!" he said as he saluted the teen quickly. The guard backed away as calmly as possible before running off down the street and tripping over his own boots. Zuko rolled his eyes and turned to the direction the strange girl ran. How on Earth was he supposed to find her in this maze of back streets and dirty shops that he only wandered into in the faintest hopes of seeing her again.

As he began walking aimlessly, looking for a sign, a signal, a flash of yellow hair, something caught his eye. It was on the grey cobblestone beneath him. A white arrow, scrawled hastily using a small rock cast aside. The arrow pointed down a narrow, unseen alleyway. Zuko felt the corners of his lips turn in the slightest smile. He made his way through the tight squeeze and emerged on the other side, a farmer's produce district. The streets had now turned to dirt and mud, and Zuko feared that he might lose her track. But as he followed the road and reached an intersection, on the side was a pitch fork and two small shovels forming an arrow. Simple folk rushed around him, oblivious to the boy wearing the out of place, expensive clothing. It was refreshing and he couldn't help but think of how Azula would shoot lightening and demand that the people stop their everyday lives and acknowledge her power.

The signs eventually led him to a secluded corner of grass that sat beside an unknown antiques shop. Zuko looked around. Nothing but a tree. Had she grown tired of waiting and left-?

"Yo." his head snapped up. Sitting on a branch, high up in the tree, was the girl. She swallowed the last bite of a dumpling and licked each finger. "What's up, scar face?" His stance tightened at the nick name.

Why were those guards chasing you?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I guess stealing is frowned upon in this city."

"It's illegal in the country," he sighed. Suddenly, the question that had been eating at the back of his mind fell off his lips. "Who are you?"

"I already told you," she said and climbed, or rather jumped from the tree. "My name is Kuzai."

"That's a name, not a person."

"How foolish of me to think that I could dare label myself so easily," she smirked. Zuko found himself glaring down at her once more as she walked in circles around him, her amber eyes locked on his face.

"You could have been arrested." She stopped walking.

"But I wasn't."

"Where did you sleep last night?" he himself wasn't sure why he asked that.

"Why does it matter to you?" she replied with yet another question. Kuzai took a step closer to him. They stood less that five inches away. The space between them seemed charged with electricity.

"It doesn't," he quickly tried to cover himself, but it was too late, Kuzai was already grinning again.

"Since you're so concerned, why don't you buy me a hotel room and we can go there together?" she winked. The crown prince felt warmth rush to his cheeks. He turned his face away from her quickly, making sure the scar was hidden. No sound other than the lazy noise of farmers passed between them. Kuzai tucked a lock of sunlight hair behind her ear. "How about you make it up to me by buying me a real breakfast?" He thought about saying no at first. The risk of being recognized as prince was too great. But then he began to think about her and how easy she was to lose.

"Alright," he said. Her face broke into a grin.

"Great! Those dumplings aren't nearly enough to keep me full." Zuko shook his head. He found himself watching her intently. There was something aloof and unreachable about her. The way she disappeared so quickly, it was unsettling.


End file.
